Great Weekend

I am off from my day job for a few days and just had a lovely weekend. After the Beaverton Farmers Market on Saturday we loaded up the Mini and headed for Washington on Sunday morning. Had lunch with Dan's sister Ann in La Conner and then went to the Pilchuck Glass Open House. This is like the Holy Land for glassers, so was something I had long anticipated. It is an inspiring site, every nature scene you could hope to see in the NW. I have to admit that the open house didn't wow me like I had expected, but as a fuser in the land of blowing that is probably something I should have expected. I do however have to admit that there is magic in those woods, and it is something that I need to experience one of these years.

From Pilchuck we took the ferry to Pt. Townsend, a place that we spent several weeks hanging out while our kids attended Jazz camps at Centrum. It was nice to see that most of our favorite haunts were still viable some 10 years later. We played golf at Pt. Ludlow and then headed south for the highlight of our weekend./p>

Visit with Bob and Linda We had lunch with our college friends Bob and Linda who live in an amazing spot on the Sound in Olympia. We haven't seen them as much as we would like or should, but when we get together it is just like old times. Linda is the friend I have mentioned who is battling a glioblastoma (ickiest of brain tumors) for the past 2 + years. As all relationships are transitory, things like this remind me of how much so they are. Linda is doing well. She has started dealing with some of the consequences of her tumors that she has been quizzed about for the past two years, but is optomistic that the PT and OT that she started today will help her manage these. She retains her incredible attitude and has an outstanding team in Bob and their daughter Megan supporting her. As I have said before, if anyone can beat this, Linda can. We had a nice visit, as evidenced by the sunburn on the right side of my face I lost track of time and came home to celebrate our daughter in law Diana's birthday. What a nice weekend.

Kyle is on his way!

Kyle decided that he wanted to come to Oregon for a couple of weeks for his birthday. How could we say no?! His flight from DC should be landing in Seattle in about 20 minutes, and then a quick hop to Portland and he will be here. The timing of the trip ended up being perfect, I need to have him where I can see him for a while. Last Friday night he called to tell us that he had been mugged. He was walking, about four blocks from his house in Washington DC when he was attacked from behind. Other than scraped knees, black eyes and the loss of $30 he is fine, but still I need to see him. I am reminded of a line from a book that we read when the kids were little..."as long as I am living my baby you will be". Couldn't be more true.

The March of the Salamanders and other stories from the Inferno

It has been HOT in Portland for the past week. Hotter than we are prepared for. One morning this week we headed out early for a round of golf. At 5:10 AM as I drove down I-5 to the course the display at a car dealer said it was 81 degrees. It was bearable, but warm for our round, and the course's efforts to stay ahead of the water demands were obvious, puddles everywhere and we had to time several of our shots with the sprinkler rotations. On the 17th green, this would be close to 8 AM, 85 degrees, we saw a salamander wending his way across the green, his trek reminded me of my hikes where I climbed over 3 foot logs, not easy. We looked further and saw 7 or more salamanders on this trek. They were all headed the same direction from the holding pond normally to the left of the green that was nearing empty, toward the woods on the right side of the green...Seven or more salamanders, 10 feet apart all headed the same direction, somehow they had a conversation, but how? "Marge, it is time to bug out, the neighborhood is drying out and we need to move on, tell the kids".

The hot weather and Kyle's visit for his birthday have made for some nice times for us. Andrew and Diana haven't had AC in their apartment, so for much of the past week they have sought refuge at our house, which means that we have had all three of them here most of the time, how perfect is that? Kyle heads back to DC tomorrow and the weather is moderating, so the party won't continue, but it has been nice. A few lessons learned as a result of the heat, five people eat a lot more than two, so I've been to the store more than usual, 90 degrees is not a good temperature for working in my studio, and is also not a good time for my kiln to be on. This is Portland so the weather will change soon, and this heat will become a distant memory.